Unintended consequences
by xWaVeSx
Summary: Hermione, looking to bring hope, brings Sirius back from the Veil. The consequences are severe and unexpected, and affect not just her, but many throughout the wizarding world. **lemons. Rated M for later chapters. Hermione/Sirius/Harry/Draco/Kingsley/George
1. Reawakening

**A/N: After reading several Hermione/multi pairing fics, I wanted one that I could control. This is what I'm working on, though I haven't abandoned the other story I'm working on also. This is just a short Prologue, to what will hopefully be a juicy story. **

It had taken months to find the right incantation. After the war ended, there were so many dead, so many lost forever. All the talk and discussion of the Deathly Hallows made Hermione think of Sirius. He passed into the Veil... could he be brought back? He hadn't suffered the Avada, he hadn't died of natural causes... He had been whole when he'd passed through. She wanted to grasp for life, even as those around her mourned the dead.

So many gone. Fred, Tonks, Remus, her classmates and friends. And then, after the way, so many succumbed to depression. Ginny and Harry were trying to make it work, but with Fred's death, the Weasley clan was folding into themselves. Ron and Hermione had shared one searing kiss, and then Ron too had distanced himself to mourn with the family. Surprisingly George was the only one who stood apart. He did not stay with the family, but instead set himself apart from everyone, only coming out when required to honor Fred.

After many books, and weeks spent in the solitude of countless libraries, she found it. The key to bringing back Sirius and renewing hope for the wizarding world. She would need Harry, and the Hallows, but she would also need people who symbolized parts of Sirius's life. She knew she couldn't tell anyone, just in case it didn't work. It would take time, sacrifice, and dark, dark magic. The problem was that while she could find the scroll giving steps for the spell, she didn't know the consequences, and she knew there must be consequences for her actions.

It took her another week to plan, and on the appointed day, she started with Harry. She chose the day of a memorial of some kind at the ministry, so everyone she needed was present in the same place. Harry Potter to represent Sirius's family, Kingsley Shacklebolt, (Minister of Magic), to represent the time he had spent in Azkaban, George Weasley who reminded her so much of the Marauder's, and Draco Malfoy who represented his demise with Bellatrix, his Aunt. She caught each of them in a moment of solitude, and stupified them. She then stowed them in a broom closet off to the side, after tying them up, just in case. She wasn't sure how she managed it... that part was somewhat of a blur, but after all the guests had departed, she found herself with 4 unconscious wizards in a broom closet. She bound them all together, put a disillusionment charm over the lot, and made her way down to the Department of Mysteries.

When she arrived, she untethered the wizards with a quick flick, and arranged them in front of the Veil by levitating them to lay like spokes on a wheel. She set forth the Stone, the Wand, and the Cloak, and withdrew a dagger she had stowed away within her robs. She dragged the knife across her palm, wincing at the pain, but ignoring it. She was doing this for Harry, for hope. She walked to each man in turn and drew the knife across their thumbs. She squeezed a drop of blood from each man into her palm, and walked to the Veil. On the gateway to death, she laid her hand, and waited.

Her consciousness was pulled through the Veil, while her hand and the blood bound her to life. She heard a cold voice, the voice of death, call to her, "_Whom do you seek?"_

"I seek Sirius or the House of Black. He was pulled into the Veil, though death did not take him. Release him to me, for those who anchor him have gathered. By the Hallows do I claim him. Into the life bond will you release him!"

_"Into your bond do I release him. Beware the consequences. I will not be so generous again. Next time, he is mine little witch."_

She waited, hoping she would not come face-to-face with the owner of the cold voice. She knew that to look on his face would weaken her grasp on life, and did not think she could hold on to herself, and Sirius. She was tempted to close her eyes against this fate, but as she hesitated to do so, she saw him. Sirius was moving towards her, looking as he had when he had fallen through. She reached for his hand, and as he grasped for hers, they fell back into the Department of Mysteries.

The other wizards were all sitting, staring at where they had fallen back. As Kingsley realized what she had done, a horrified and wondrous expression crossed his face. He looked to each of the wizards around him, and roared, "What have you DONE? Do you have any idea of the consequences?"

Hermione didn't look up, she was too busy staring at Sirius. Kingsley roared once more, "You have bound us to you! We are one, do you know what that means?" At that, she did look up.

"No. I knew there would be consequences, but it didn't say what it would be. Don't you know what this means? Maybe we can bring others back?!"

"Hermione! We are BOUND! You belong to us, and we belong to you. There is much to discuss. This was dark magic, you should not have done it! No matter that Sirius is back, you have decided the future of every wizard here, and decided your own as well."

She didn't know what he meant, but she was suddenly dreading finding out...

**A/N: I know, I hate notes at beginning and end. I'd love to read your reviews. Any suggestions for who should be lead in the relationship? I'm leaning Kingsley, but I'm open to some suggestions. Just FYI, I know we're off to a quick start, but we're about to slow to a steady burn.**


	2. Consequences

_"Hermione! We are BOUND! You belong to us, and we belong to you. There is much to discuss. This was dark magic, you should not have done it! No matter that Sirius is back, you have decided the future of every wizard here, and decided your own as well."_

_She didn't know what he meant, but she was suddenly dreading finding out..._

Kingsley stared at the group for a moment longer, before speaking again. "Come, let us go to my office, where we can have some tea, and discuss what has been done this day."

Before they could go anywhere, Harry ran to Sirius, and embraced his godfather. Kingsley hadn't noticed how Harry had been staring at Sirius in wonder. As they embraced, tears streamed down the faces of Harry, Sirius and Hermione. After a moment, Kingsley spoke up once again, "Come, we must leave this place."

Before they could leave, Hermione gathered up the Hallows, and returned them to Harry with a semi-apologetic look. They followed Kingsley up to his office, silence reigning between them all. Hermione was afraid to look at the others, unsure how they would react. Finally, in the lift on the way up through the ministry, she dared a look at George. His face was hard to read. She thought she saw hope, mixed with confusion. She glanced at Draco. She didn't know him outside of school, and had only grabbed him as he was the closest she could get to Bellatrix, now that the bitch herself was dead. He looked angry and confused. His eyes were firmly fixed on Shacklebolt, she assumed he didn't want to speak to her at present.

Sirius and Harry stood next to each other. Sirius kept glancing between Harry and Hermione, avoiding the others in the elevator. She was sure he knew what Kingsley was going to share, but his uneasy glances were making her nervous. As she met his eyes, he leaned over and squeezed her shoulder in a reassuring manner. His face didn't match the gesture, but she took it in stride.

When the arrived at Kingsley's floor, the outer office was thankfully deserted. She had chosen the date purposefully, and it was working out, even in ways she didn't expect. He flicked his wand in silence, opening the door, and gestured everyone to take a seat.

His office reflected the mannerisms of the man. It was professional, but comfortable. It was furnished in decadent leather chairs and sofas, around a fireplace. To one side of the room was an extravagant desk made of cherry wood. It's dark red color glowed in the firelight. They were all seated, with Hermione in the center of their gathering. All eyes were on her, as if they were expecting something. She wasn't sure what they were waiting for, and she turned to Kingsley, hoping he would be able to explain his harsh words from a few moments prior.

Instead, he called for his House Elf, who appeared promptly. "Tea, if you please Pippy, for my guests and I." The elf bowed respectfully and disappeared, only to reappear a short moment later. Silence once again reigned as they waited for their tea. Once the tea arrived, Kingsley looked towards Hermione and said, "Please tell us what you think you have done."

"I.. I was trying to find a way to bring back hope. There has been so much death..." Here she paused, and looked to George, then to Sirius. Finally, her eyes drifted to Draco, as she remembered the death of Bellatrix, but also the unexpected death of Lucius. "I wanted to see if I could bring someone back. I've been looking for a way to do it for weeks. When I found out Harry had all of the Deathly Hallows, I was sure it was feasible. I've been researching for months. I found a text in the old Black library. It talked about bringing someone back from the Veil. I found the incantation, and I followed the instructions, and it required 4 representatives of the person's past. I chose Harry, to represent Sirius's family, Kingsley to represent his time in Azkaban, George to represent the Marauder's, and Draco to represent his death-Draco being the closest I could come to Bellatrix." It all came out in quite a rush, and when she finished, she looked back to Kingsley. "Now, tell us what you know."

Kingsley took his time, sipping his tea before beginning. "The magic you have awoken is an ancient and dark blood magic. What you have done cannot be undone, but it is not yet complete. The ritual to bring Sirius back is a binding ritual. You bound him to yourself, but you have also bound us all to each other, through you. When you took our blood and mingled it with your own, you claimed us as yours. The bond takes some time to settle, but in order for the ritual to be complete, we must claim you as ours. You must marry us, all of us."

Here, he paused, and Hermione gasped. These were grave consequences indeed. "You can't expect me to marry Malfoy! You can't expect me to marry more than one person, it's absurd! It's not done! How will the world view us, view _me_? We're all already in the public eye, we can't get married."

At this, Sirius began to laugh. For a moment, it sounded maniacal, but after a moment, it was evident he was just out of practice. All eyes turned to him, all looked somewhat shocked. "My dear witch, you don't seem to understand. You have chosen this. If you don't fulfill the ritual, your soul will be reclaimed by Death, as will mine. The others may retain their sanity, but only just. We all now have much to lose, and I for one am not ready to give up."

Everyone was shocked, none more so than Hermione. Sirius shot her a wary look. "Marrying more than one wizard is not completely unheard of. It was an ancient tradition, to be sure, but it has been done before. Who knows? Maybe you'll start a new trend?" he teased. She still looked horrified.

_Marry Malfoy? Marry Kingsley? How does one manage five husbands? Why did I do this?_

The wizards watched as her face went from one emotion to the next. Horrified...Confused...Worried...Distraught. Finally, her face cleared. "What do we do now?"

Kingsley shifted somewhat uncomfortably. "It is best to complete the ritual as soon as possible. We should hold a private ceremony, so we don't cause a panic. The ceremony should be within the week. We can talk details tomorrow. For now, perhaps we should all rest. Tomorrow we will need to make a great many decisions. You must choose an order in which to bond to us. You must also choose a head of house. We will continue to discuss the details tomorrow. Tonight, perhaps it would be best if we all stayed together, so we may keep this private. Harry, is Grimmauld place empty?"

Harry, who had been quiet for quite some time, looked towards the minister and nodded. "It is, but I don't want Malfoy there. Can't we all go home? This is ridiculous! Hermione makes a choice, and we have to live with it? It's unfair."

"Harry," Sirius input, "since when has life been fair to us? We take what we are given and we go with it. I agree with Kingsley. We should all stay together, until we make some decisions. Grimmauld Place is as good as any. Minister, is this fireplace connected to the Floo Network? We can head over for the night now. I know I'm exhausted, and I think it would be best if we all spent the evening thinking through what we know. Tomorrow will be a new day, and we can sort through this mess then."

"Thank you Sirius. Hermione, you may go through first," Kingsley instructed.

As she walked slowly towards the fireplace, she stared at the floor. After she had passed each man, she looked back, mumbles, "I had no idea, I'm so sorry..." entered the fireplace, and said, "Grimmauld Place." She had a moment to herself before Draco appeared from the fireplace. He looked at her for a moment, but said nothing. He was quickly followed by the others.

Once all had arrived, Harry started issuing instructions. "Sirius, you can have your old room, we haven't touched anything. George, you can bunk with me. Draco, you can have Regulus's old room-it's on the top floor across form Sirius. Kingsley, you can have Walburga's old room-you still know where to find it I hope. I'll see you all in the morning."

With that, everyone dispersed for the evening. As Hermione walked to her room, by herself, she passed through the halls all in quiet contemplation. _How could I not have known? It feels like I've made a horrible mistake. But Sirius is alive!_

It was an odd feeling. As she was thinking through the day, a shiver passed through her. She was going to marry these men. She barely knew most of them, and yet she was... anticipating this.

It was going to be an interesting rest of her life.


	3. It's a date

The next morning, Saturday, Hermione slept late, and carefully considered what she would wear that day. Obviously, she had gotten herself into quite a mess, and as her mum always said, "When life is a mess, dress to impress!" Today, of all days, she wanted to take the advice of her dear deceased mum to heart.

She decided on a knee length grey skirt with a navy blouse. The blouse had a v-neck that gave a hint of décolletage, and the blouse had small capped sleeves. She went barefoot, but took great care with her hair and makeup. He head she spelled to fall straight. With her makeup she stayed light, but decided she needed something to make her look extra special. She applied a bright red color, and applied a final layer of gloss. As she looked at herself in the mirror, she took strength from the woman looking back from the mirror. There was a confident woman, and she would carry that with her. She took a deep breath, and exited her room, and made her way down to the kitchen.

She was walking somewhat quietly, and could hear several people speaking in moderate tones. She considered standing in the hallway an eavesdropping, but decided against it, and walked right on in. As she entered, all conversation ceased, and five pairs of eyes turned towards her. She watched as all the wizards stood up, and eyes turned towards her.

She looked from face to face. Kingsley's eyes sparkled, and she could tell he admired the effort she put into her appearance. George was staring at her in shock, as if he'd never seen her look nice before. His mouth was hanging open slightly, eyebrows raised. Harry was next. He still looked slightly disgruntled, but she could see a glint of admiration in his eyes. Sirius was giving her a lust-filled stare, and she couldn't bring him to meet his eyes for too long. Finally, her eyes settled on Draco. His eyes burned into hers, and his mouth gaped for a moment before he snapped it closed. She gave a small smirk before sitting down at the table.

Once she was seated, the wizards followed suit, though one or two, (Draco and Sirius), tried to sneak a peak down her shirt. As she loaded up her plate, she gathered her courage, and took charge. "So, how long do we have before Death recalls Sirius?"

At this, all mouths dropped open, before Harry loudly and angrily exclaimed, "You're just going to let Sirius go back to being dead?!"

"Of course not!" she retorted. "I just want to know how long we have until we have to complete the ritual. Before me have to.. um... get ma-ma-married."

"Why does it even matter? Lets just do it today, and get it out of the way!" Harry responded. He was obviously not pleased with the situation. _It's not that I don't love Hermione,_ he thought, _but after years of having decisions made for me, of having prophesies decide my fate, and people expect so much, I thought that at least this would be my own decision._

At his derisive tone, the nerves Hermione was feeling started to express themselves as she wrung her hands, eyes fixed on her lap. "I just thought it might be nice for me to get to know you each a bit more. Harry, you can get Sirius caught up on everything that's happened in the past few years. I was thinking maybe I could take each of you on a date, and then maybe we all spend some time together, figuring out how we're going to make this work. I mean, do we live together, do we live separately? What do we tell the public? George, how do we tell your family?" She finally realized she was rambling, and she quieted her wagging tongue.

She looked up when this was all met with silence. The sincerity on her face must have convinced at least some of the men, because Kingsley spoke up, "We have one week. How about, a date a day starting today, one day together, and we can get married on Friday." As all heads nodded, he turned to look directly at Hermione, "Who do you want to date first?"

"To be honest, I hadn't gotten that far. You could draw straws? Shortest straw goes first, longest straw goes last?"

This suggestion seemed to go over when, and with a quick wave of his wand and a quietly murmured accio, Kingsley had 5 straws and a knife. He set about trimming each straw and handled the carefully measured bundle to Hermione. She turned her back, arranged them in her hand so they all looked the same from the top, then turned back. She turned to Kingsley first, then George, Draco, Sirius and finally Harry. When each man had a straw they gathered round to compare straws, cutting Hermione off from the circle.

When they finally turned, George spoke up, "Well Mione', looks like it's you and me today." The grin on his face, while it couldn't be described as happy, could definitely be described as smug.

Hermione surveyed the rest of the group. It was Sirius who spoke up next, "Right. Today is George, tomorrow Kingsley, Monday you're with Harry, Tuesday you're with Draco, and I'll get the last date on Wednesday." With that, all the other men exited the room to allow George and Hermione to plan their date.

As they filed past, each man found a way to touch her. Kingsley patted her shoulder, Harry gave her hand a quick squeeze, Sirius stopped to give her a brief hug, and Draco leg his hand drag lazily across her arse. This last one caused her to jump just a bit, and take a step closer to George. Draco's low chuckle as he exited the room caused her insides squirm uncomfortably. When she looked up at George, he had an amused, though somewhat jealous look on his face.

The jealousy caught her off guard. Apparently, five husbands would be a bit more work that she had originally planned on. She chose not to comment on the jealousy and pretend the whole bit hadn't happened. "So," she said, "where would you like to go today?"

"Oh no, Mione', you asked me on this date, you have to decide where we'll go." her date responded with a smug look on his face.

"Well then, I hope you're ready for a muggle adventure."

**A/N: I'm SO excited to write these date scenes. I am taking suggestions for date locations. Keep in mind, it must be within a reasonable distance of London. Thanks to all who've taken the kind to review/follow/favorite. Makes a girl smile :)**


	4. Thrills

Thrills

_"So," she said, "where would you like to go today?"_

_"Oh no, Mione', you asked me on this date, you have to decide where we'll go." her date responded with a smug look on his face._

_"Well then, I hope you're ready for a muggle adventure."_

Hermione looked at George, then glanced down at herself. "This will never do for what I'm thinking. George, wear something comfortable. I have to go change!" With that, she shot out of the kitchen and up the stairs to her room. She pulled her hair into a ponytail (the muggle way) and dug through her closet once again. She changed into jeans and a comfortable and flattering v-neck t-shirt. It was a deep maroon, and made the few auburn highlights in her hair pop. She took one final look in the mirror, grabbed her muggle money, and ran back down the stairs.

George was waiting at the bottom wearing muggle jeans and a t-shirt. _Merlin, _Hermione thought, _he looks handsome. He's so tall, and he's really filled out since Hogwarts. His shoulders would be perfect to grab onto when you... I wish he would smile._ As she was thinking, her eyes were moving from his shoes all the way up to his hair, which was cut short, neatly trimmed. Just as she though that she wished he would smile, he took in her appearance, and one corner of his mouth tipped up in a small smile.

"All right Mione', where are we headed?" George asked, after giving her a thorough once-over as well.

"Nuh uh! You'll just have to wait and see. You told me to decide, so you will have to wait and see. But trust me, George Weasley, you are in for a brand new experience." With that, she grabbed his hand and dragged him out the door. Once they were on the front step, and outside the anti-apparition wards, she grabbed her wand, and apparated them both.

When the world stopped spinning, and tug behind her navel settled, she looked around the corner from where they had stopped. "I haven't been here since I was a little girl. Since before Hogwarts, and being a witch."

George looked around in confusion. He wasn't seeing anything special yet, but in the background he heard screams. For a moment, he looked frozen, before he realized that those were not the screams of the hurt, hexed and dying. Those were screams of joy and wonderment. "Where are we?"

"Come around and see!" she replied.

They turned the corner, and George froze. In front of him was a kiosk with the words **Blackpool Pleasure Beach** emblazoned across the top. People were queuing up outside, as they slowly moved through some kind of plastic beeping doorway. Behind the kiosk were massive machines-tracks with people riding on them in little cars.

"What is this place?" he asked in awed wonderment.

"It's an amusement park. Now come on! We have so much to do, and so little time!" She dragged him forward towards one of the windows in the kiosk, then asked for two wristbands and handed the man behind the window a few muggle bills. He handed back two plastic straps, which George just stared at.

Hermione, being the take charge type, grabbed George's wrist, and looped the strap around his wrist. She snapped it into place, and proceeded to hold her wrist out to George. He carefully grabbed the second plastic strap from her hand, and circled it around her wrist, taking his time as he fixed it in place. He kept his grip on her wrist for an extra minute after attaching the wristband, circling his thumb on the sensitive flesh there, before dragging his eyes up to meet Hermione's. For a heated moment, their gazes locked, and as he watched her face, she sucked her bottom lip between her teeth. He gave an internal groan, then released her and took a step back.

He briefly cleared his throat before breaking the electric silence between him. "So what do we do first?"

"First, we look at the map, and formulate a plan!"

It was such an Hermione type thing to say. "All right," he conceeded, thought he fully planned on breaking whatever schedule she put into place.

He watched as she walked through the plastic doorway without an problem. Just as she got to the other side, a bloke to their left stepped through, and the lights flashed red as the plastic emit a loud beeping. "Step this way sir," a man in an official-looking uniform indicated. He then withdrew a plastic sweeping device and waved it over the man. It beeped at the mans waist, and again at his wrist. The uniformed gent patted the man down, then nodded and sent him on his way.

George's eyes widened at the interaction, then glanced at Hermione. She was staring at him with amusement written on her face. "Well, come on then. We haven't got all day." It almost sounded like she was taunting him.

He took a breath, walked through the doorway, and was relieved when he was left to go free. Hermione already had a map in hand, and pulled him away from the entryway over to a bench. "Alright, so I think we should maybe start out small and work out way up. I wouldn't want you to get scared and chicken out on me for the rest of the day."

She said it in such a smug tone, that he knew she was goading him. He couldn't help himself when he responded, "Try me. Lets do the most intimidating one first. What have you got?"

"All right then. We'll start with 'The Big One,' and then move through the rest of the top ten rides. Then, we'll stop for some refreshment, and then maybe we can see about riding something again!"

"Lead the way Mione'," he responded, though she had already taken off.

She led him to a line of people, there had to be two hundred ahead of them. "Are you sure this will be worth the wait? It looks like a long line."

"Not to worry George. All the rides have lines this late in the summer, especially on a weekend. Nothing for it, we'll just have to wait. How about we get to know one another better while we wait. Ask me anything!" She was actually looking forward to filling the down time.

George let a wicked smirk pass over his handsome features, but thankfully Hermione was facing the other way, and hadn't seen. "Tell me, little witch. Did you and my baby brother ever shag?"

She whipped around quickly. "That's not what I had in mind! That doesn't seem like an appropriate thing to ask, or that this is an appropriate time to have that sort of conversation!"

"You said to ask you anything. You started this, you better answer. I'll answer any question you want. If you give me honesty, I'll give you honesty." While he had initially been speaking in a teasing tone, the last sentence was spoken with such sincerity, that she knew she couldn't avoid the question.

"No, Ronald and I never shagged. We never even really dated. What about you? Have you shagged anyone?

"You and Ron never did? I thought for sure you would have. You spent so much time making moon eyes at him, and nearly tore Lavender's head off when they were together. I thought for sure you'd jump him the moment you had the chance!" At this, she started to look somewhat annoyed. "Can't say that I'm not pleased though," he continued quickly. "I mean, it would be pretty awkward if we were to marry and you had been intimate with my brother. Doesn't sound like something I'd want to walk into, that's for sure. As for me, I have shagged before."

When he paused for a moment, Hermione pushed. "How many people, and who were they?"

He looked a bit skeptical to answer. "Well, I've shagged three people. Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnet."

"That's only two George. What was the third?"

" It was Parvati Patil," he answered hesitantly, and somewhat shamefacedly.

"You slept with Parvati?" Hermione hissed. "That slag? She would sleep with anyone, and she was annoying as shite. She hand no sense!"

"That's why I didn't want to tell you. It was just once. I was drunk off my arse one night after a D.A. meeting, and she cornered me. She totally came for me, and what can I say? I had low standards at the time."

"Was she your first?" Hermione asked, trying to be casual. Internally she was fuming, _Parvati has slept with George! My George! Well, not mine... Maybe mine? Almost mine..._

"No, glad to say she wasn't. Angelina was. We weren't dating, but we were best friends. We were both curious, so we shagged. Several times, actually. We both learned from each other; our likes and dislikes. It was a learning experience. After a couple of months, we both realized we wanted to pursue other interests, so we broke it off. It was peaceable, and we're still friends."

Hermione sighed. Well, at least that was one jealous ex she didn't have to deal with. "What about Alicia, were you dating?"

"Yeah, we were. We dated for a bit in seventh year. Shagged for a couple of months. It was fun, you know? That was a really tough year, Umbridge and all. When she broke it off with me, I wasn't terribly pleased. It's why I was so knackered when Parvati and I shagged. Once Fred and I left and opened the shop, I realized Alicia was not for me. Her sense of humor was terrible, and what's more is that I think she had more of a thing for Fred."

"So you're not attached to anyone at present?" Hermione replied, eyes fixed to the ground. "You haven't... shagged anyone recently?"

"No, it's just been me and my right hand for a couple of years now," he answered crudely.

"George!" she exclaimed, as she shoved his shoulder.

By this time, they were close to the front. Just as they got to the front of the line, George leaned towards her ear and whispered, "After we conquer this monster, it's my turn to ask you more. I think you've had your fair share of questions for now."

Hermione gulped, as tingles crept down her spine, and settled in her stomach. The way he breath lingered on her neck, and the anticipation of having to answer to him made her body ache with desire.

The attendant opened the gate, and let Hermione and George through next. They settled into the ride, the attendant coming over to strap them and the other passengers in. George's eyes were the size of saucers, and he reached over to grab Hermione's hand. Just as he thought his nerves would get the best of him, and he's scream that they needed to unlock him, a voice came over the intercom.

"Prepare for launch in 3...2...1..." And then the were off. They were going faster than George had ever flown on any broom. The whooshed through the air, and his mind cleared. There was nothing outside of this moment. There was Hermione, and her screams of joy, there was her small hand in his large one, there was wind in his hair, the inability to move from his seat, loss of control, and it was utter freedom. This would be a new addiction.

All too soon the ride was over. He was breathless and flushed, and he was still holding Hermione's hand. While they waited for the attendant to unstrap them, Hermione looked over, a huge grin plastered to her face, "What did you think?"

"We're doing this again."

Hermione tried to convince George to move on to the next ride, but he was insistent that they repeat the experience. They hopped back into the line, and George immediately turned back to her. "My turn then Mione', have you shagged anyone?"

She blushed, and stared down at her hands. "No."

"Have you ever had an orgasm?"

"No."

"Have you ever seen a man naked?"

"Not on purpose, but I did accidentally see Harry naked once, while we were on the run."

"Have you ever been kissed?"

"Yes."

At this, George's eyes narrowed slightly. "By who?"

"Well, Victor Krum was my first kiss, and Ron was my second."

"Victor Krum? Blimey Hermione, was it at the Yule Ball?" When she nodded he looked at her again. "Weren't you only 15? And he was in seventh year?"

"Yes. It wasn't something that I anticipated, and it only happened once."

"So how many times did you and Ron snog?"

"Urm, just the once, at the Final Battle."

"Did you like it? Either of those kisses?"

"To be honest, I didn't. Kissing is so weird. I honestly don't understand how people could enjoy it." With this, she gave a dainty sniff, and pointer her nose up in the air.

They were once again at the front of the line, and George again leaned close, and whispered in her ear again, "I'll be happy to show you how... before this date is over Hemione Granger, I will give you a kiss you feel down to your toes."

She shivered at the comment. He hadn't even laid his lips on her, and she already felt it all the way down to her toes. Uh oh.

They rode the thrill ride again, and it was just as exhilarating the second time. George tried to drag Hermione to do a third go, but she insisted that they try out the other Top Ten thrills. In line for each ride, they continued to pass questions back and forth, though the topics stayed to more mundane subjects: favorite color, best childhood memory, favorite candy, best prank you ever played. It was a very enjoyable day.

As the daylight began to fade, and twilight set in, Hermione and George strolled back out of the park. They were both smiling, and holding hands. It had been a wonderful day, and an epic adventure for George. Hermione was glad that he was smiling, and she knew that he would be fine, though the pain would undoubtedly stay with him for a long time to come.

They turned the corner to where they had apparated in, and before Hermione could grab her wand, George grabbed her hand, and pulled her flush against his body. "Thank you for a lovely date Hermione. This has been one of the best days I've had in quite a while. I want to give you something, in return for all you've done for me. I'm going to kiss you Hermione."

Her eyes darkened as he spoke, and she tilted her head up, so he wouldn't have to bend too far to reach her lips. He leaned down slowly, and his lips whispered against hers. It was a mere brushing of flesh, and Hermione stood up on tip toes to try and bring her lips flush to his. His lips once again came to meet hers, but this time more firmly. It was a sweet kiss, and Hermione felt it all the way to her toes. Her hands made a grab for her shoulders to hold on, as his hands settled politely on her hips. She moaned against him, and he ran his tongue along her bottom lip, asking for permission.

She wasn't sure what the gesture meant, but she curiously opened her lips just a bit, and his tongue snuck through and brushed against hers. This caused her to gasp just a bit, and George took full advantage. The kiss flared with heat, but George kept his hands firmly planted on her hips, even as her hands curled around his neck. After a few minutes of a sensual meeting of mouths, George pulled back, and looked into her eyes.

"That was quite something. For someone with almost no experience, you take my breath away little witch. I think it's time to head back, before we get too carried away."

Hermione nodded in agreement, just as she pulled his head down for another kiss. This one was slightly shorter, but felt just a tad more desperate. Before Hermione could kiss George again, (or vice versa), George apparated them back to Grimmauld Place. "After you my lady," George said, with a stately bow. As they entered Harry's home, they followed the sound of voices to the kitchen. While they had snacked throughout the day, they had opted not to eat a full-blown meal, and were ready for a bite to eat.

When they entered the kitchen, Harry and Sirius were at the table. Both men looked up, and Sirius smirked. "Have a good time, my love?"

Hermione blushed slightly, not realizing that her appearance gave away that she had been well and truly snogged. "Yes, we had a lovely time. Do you know when Kingsley will be back? I believe he and I have a date tomorrow."

Sirius chuckled at her embarrassment and attempt to change the subject. "He is working at the ministry, but he said he'd see you tomorrow morning at 11. He's made plans for you love."

Hermione nodded in understanding, then filled a plate with the food on the table. She ate in quiet contemplation as George filled the other wizards in about their day. He stuck to the roller coasters, and avoided discussing the hot kisses, and titillating conversation.

Once she finished eating, Hermione attempted to excuse herself, and go up to bed to read. "Allow me to walk you to your door, Mione'." George said as he stood up, and help the kitchen door open for her. True to his word, he walked her up the stairs, and stopped just outside your door. "Thanks again for a great day Mione'." He leaned in, and teasingly brushed his lips against hers, before turning around with a self-satisfied look on his face, and walking towards his room.

**A/N-this is a looong chapter for me! Don't get used to it, though I do have a feeling the date chapters will be long. I'm still open to suggestions for Hermione's date with Kingsley. HUGE shout out to Marianna79 for your ideas for the chapter.**

**To Anon who said that Ch. 1 was a very un-Hermione-like thing to do, the war changed so many things. I can only imagine the distress and grief that came with losing so many people who you held so dear. Anyone would do something irrational, even Hermione.**


	5. France-iful

_"Do you know when Kingsley will be back? I believe he and I have a date tomorrow."_

_Sirius chuckled at her embarrassment and attempt to change the subject. "He is working at the ministry, but he said he'd see you tomorrow morning at 11. He's made plans for you love." _

The night after her date, Hermione attempted to read, but her mind kept wandering to her lovely date with George, and wondering about her date the next day with Kingsley. She wondered if he would kiss her too. Would he lecture her on her choice? She would definitely deserve it, but she hoped not. They had so little time to prepare for a new life, and she didn't want to spend her time feeling any more guilty than she already did.

She finally fell into a deep sleep, and once again slept late. She was awoken at 10 the next morning by a tapping on her window. She groggily climbed out of bed, and went to open the window for the persistent owl. The owl flew into the room, dropped something on the bedside table, and left without even waiting for an owl treat.

By the time she made it to the bedside table, she was a bit more awake, and after a quick _tempus_ charm, she was immediately wide awake realizing how late it was. She glanced at what the owl had dropped off, and saw a single red rose with a note attached to it.

_"Hermione,_

_I apologize that I was not able to see you last evening. I've been busy _

_bringing Sirius back from the dead and clearing his name. I have a wonderful_

_day planned for us. Wear something comfortable; we'll be staying in the wizard_

_world today._

_Yours, Kingsley_

She re-read the signature twice. _Mine? _she thought. _Is he really mine?_ She didn't dwell on this too long, but instead rushed to the bathroom to perform her daily ablutions. Forty-five minutes later, she had showered, arranged her hair in to silky curls down her back and applied just a few touches of makeup. All that was left was to decide on an appropriate outfit.

She took stock of what she considered the "wizarding" side of her closet. She had several dress robes that she had purchased herself for the memorials and charity events she found herself obligated to attend. They didn't seem appropriate, as they were not overly comfortable. She sifted through her her clothes back to a few nice but comfortable sets of robes, and after a moment's deliberation, chose a navy set of robes. They were plain but very flattering to her coloring, and she thought they should suit for whatever Kingsley had planned.

By the time she was done dressing, she had to rush to make it down the stairs right at eleven. She rushed into the kitchen and found the room filled with the other occupants of the house, Kingsley just stepping from the floo.

"Ah, you look lovely this morning Hermione!" said Kingsley. The other men sitting around the table all bobbed their heads in agreement. "Before we leave this morning, I just have a few items to straighten out."

He turned to Sirius first. "Sirius Black, welcome back officially to the world of the living. Your documentation has been updated to show you are alive, your name has been cleared, and you have been reinstated as the scion of the House of Black. There is a chair in the Wizengamot that has your name on it, should you choose to use it." He paused, and everyone stared in silence. Sirius looked stunned, and if one were to observe closely, a slight shimmer could be seen in his eye.

Next, he turned to Harry, "Harry, you are probably not aware, but there is a Potter Manor that belongs to you. It is in desperate need of repair, but I was able to determine that it is still a viable property and is already in your name. If you would like, you may go and see it this afternoon. Just ensure you take someone with you, as we don't know the true state of the property." Harry just stared and Kingsley. This was the first time Harry had ever heard of a manor in the family, and all he could do was open and close his mouth several times.

Kingsley turned to Draco. "Mr. Malfoy, Draco, the restraints on your magic have been lifted, and magical trace removed so that no one becomes suspicious of your extensive time spent here and in present company. Please don't take advantage, as my name is now on the line for you." Draco's expression didn't change, but he gave a swift nod of thanks. "You must also decide if you would like to tell your mother of this situation before the wedding, and if you'd like her to be present for our nuptials. If you do tell her, please have her take a vow of secrecy."

Finally, Kingsley turned to George. "George, I don't have anything pressing for you, except to let you know that Arthur has been asking after you. You may want to let your family know you are alright, and decide if you want to invite them to the ceremony also."

With that taken care of, he turned to Hermione and offered his arm, "Shall we?"

-00-

A few minutes later, Hermione stepped out of the Floo with Kingsley holding her hand. He hadn't told her where they were going so she'd had to depend on him to get her to their destination safely. As she brushed herself off, Hermione looked around and wasn't quite sure where they were. They exited a small office, and she stopped in her tracks, awed by her surroundings - it was love at first sight.

The room they walked into had enormous ceilings, and the walls were lined with books. Floor to ceiling were shelves upon shelves of books. Not another being was in the room, and she was surrounded by an awed silence. She turned slowly to look at Kingsley, almost having forgotten that he was there. "Where are we?" she whispered, awe bleeding into her voice.

"We are at the Bliblioteque Mazarine. While it is widely known as a French Library in the Muggle world, what is not known in the Muggle world is that it is the largest collection of Wizarding writings in Europe. This is a mirror image of the Muggle side, open only to select members of the wizarding community, who come with permission from the French Ministry. We have until 3pm this afternoon."

Her mouth hung open for his whole diatribe. She had heard mention of this library, had always wanted to come, but had never been able to get permission. Upon hearing how long she could stay, she was finally able to close her mouth, put on her scholarly face, and say, "Where should we start?"

Kingsley's rich laugh echoed through the cavernous room, and he pointed her to the Magical History section. "Over here we have an original First Edition of _Hogwarts: A History."_

For the next hour Kingsley showed her the wonders and treasures of the most magical collection in the world. For the two and a half hours after that Hermione wandered, entranced, from shelf to shelf, sometimes caressing spines, pulling out the occasional book, flipping through its pages before carefully replacing it. She was barely aware of Kingsley's presence beside her, until he gently grabbed her arm, and told her it was time to go. She took one last longing look around the room, trying to remember every detail, then turned to him with a smile and asked, "Where to next?"

Kingsley took her hand and lead her back to the room through which they had entered. Instead of going to the floo, he pulled her into a loose embrace and apparated them away. When the world stopped spinning, Hermione stepped out of his arms, bent over with her hands on her knees and willed her stomach to stop churning. Kingsley laid a gentle hand on her back and said, "I'm sorry, perhaps I should have given you more warnings of my intentions."

She stood up, "No, it's fine. Side-along apparition has never been pleasant. I just needed a moment. Where are we now?"

"We are at my favorite French Patisserie in the wizarding district. The chocolate croissants are divine. They also have a private room where we may speak freely."

He lead her into what appeared to be a small bakery; the hostess immediately recognized him, "Ah! Monsier Shacklebolt! How lovely to see you again! Would you like your regular table in zee back?"

With a warm smile, Kingsley responded, "Oui, s'il vouz plait," and they were lead to a room off the main shoppe which contained only a small table, and tea service. The hostess took the tea cart, and returned it a few moments later with a piping hot tea pot and fancy tea-fare, chocolate croissant included. Once they were both seated and served, Kingsley looked to Hermione and said, "Did you enjoy the library, my dear?"

Hermione's eyes glittered with joy, "Of course I did! What a marvelous surprise Kings; it was more than anything I expected out of today. But I feel like this day has been all about me so far. What about you? What can we do today that you can enjoy?"

He gave her a serious look, "Hermione, spending time with you brings me joy. Seeing you delight in the places I bring you makes me immeasurably happy. But, I would like to get to know you more. I feel I don't know you well, though we've crossed paths many times in the past. Tell me more about yourself."

"I'd be happy to, as long as you return the favor," she replied with a cheeky grin. She went on to tell him about her family and background. She tried to keep it short, as it was still painful to speak of her parents. She told him of her parent's profession as dentists; how she grew up fairly friendless due to her bookish nature, and what turned out to be early flair-ups of her magic. She told him about how Hogwarts was an un-asked for answer to her peculiarity; how what she thought would be the answer to her most basic desires to fit in turned into yet another instance of a place where she wasn't the same.

He listened with obvious interest. He nodded at appropriate times, but didn't interrupt. After a little while, she finally got to the part of her life where her parents were irrecoverably lost. She told him just the basics, she had obliviated them to protect them from Death Eaters, and it was irreversible. She managed to keep it together throughout, until he reached over and laid his hand over hers. She allowed herself a few brief tears, then turned to him and said, "So, that's me. Tell me about you, then you can ask questions, alright?"

He gave her hand one more squeeze, then pulled his hand back to his side of the table. "My parents were both wizards, from upstanding pureblood families. Not so wealthy as to have lived all my life in the public eye, but enough so that their marriage was arranged. They grew to love one another, and had only one son, me. They were kind and loving, something I grow to appreciate more and more as time goes on.

"My childhood was pretty standard for a wizarding child of well-to-do parents. I had tutors for my basic subjects, a few House Elves who catered to my needs when my parents were unavailable. My parents were so proud when I got my Hogwarts letter. They were both alumni of Hogwarts themselves, from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. They had no preference of what house I ended up in, but I was sorted into Ravenclaw.

"It was a wonderful house, full of learning, both scholastic and worldly learning. I learned much of politics in that house. I was never a Prefect, too much competition in my own year, and I was more interested in Defense Against the Dark Arts and girls that I was in being a well-rounded student. I did well on my OWLS and NEWTS, and when I graduated I was recruited into the Auror program.

"It was all I had really dreamed of, but it is such a wonderful thing to be chosen for a program instead of having to apply from nothing. It was a challenging program, and the first few years were exceedingly difficult. I traveled from place to place, and saw little results for my actions. Then Voldemort returned, I started protecting the Muggle Prime Minister which was a wonderful, if stressful, experience.

"You know what happened then. They voted me interim Prime Minister, and last month voted me into the position permanently. It's been a very hectic month, but since I was performing all of the duties as the interim Minister, it was relatively smooth transition. Thankfully the election has already taken place, as I'm not sure how our current predicament would have affected the outcome. While I don't care about public opinion on a personal level, I do very much care about the state of Wizarding Britain, and I think I have much I can do for us as a country. I think you will be a welcome asset to that goal. What else do you want to know?"

He finished his telling, and looked to her after his question. Her face seemed pensive, and he knew she was contemplating her next question. "What about your personal life? Did this take you away from anyone special? Have you dated much?"

Kingsley smiled at the questions. "I wasn't seeing anyone recently. I've dated quite a bit in the past, but never one witch for too long. It tends to take quite a bit to keep my attention."

He paused for a moment, and Hermione's brain whirred with questions. _Am I enough to keep his attention? Does he have to be faithful, or if he gets bored can he go find someone else? That wouldn't do. He's mine... _

"What about you? Weren't you seeing the youngest Weasley boy? Did you date anyone other than him?"

She rolled her eyes at the question and wondered, _Are they all going to ask me that question? _Out loud she said, "Funny, George asked me the same question. Ron and I never really dated, but we did snog once in the heat of the moment during the Battle of Hogwarts. After that, I think we both realized it wasn't meant to be. There was no spark outside of the relief and anxiety of battle. That's what I told him anyways when he asked me out. He said he understood."

Kingsley nodded at her answer, then a questioning look came to his eye. "So you and Ron never slept together?" She slowly shook her head, and saw as he put the pieces together, then looked to her for confirmation. "Hermione, are you a virgin?"

Her face immediately flamed red at such a blunt question. She knew she shouldn't have anything to be embarrassed about, except that in a few short days she would be married to five men. "Yes," she replied quietly.

A strange look crossed Kingsley's face. "Hermione, in order to complete the marriage bond you're going to have to have sex. With each of us."

Now she was well and truly mortified. She tried to think practical. "On the day of the wedding, or can I space it out?"

Kingsley looked at her closely. "The way these things work, typically, is that you have a day for each wizard wed, including the day of your marriage. I know this is very strange for you, but we need to talk to everyone about this this evening. You will need to decide who you would like to be with first. Perhaps if we discuss if, we can determine who might be the best person to be with for your first time."

The mere thought of this conversation mortified Hermione to no end. She didn't tend to consider herself a prude, but she was completely inexperienced sexually, (at least in practice, though she'd read on the subject extensively), and the thought of one partner, let alone five, was enough to make her very nervous. She decided honesty was the way to go. "I don't think I could stand to be in on that conversation. Maybe you could just... draw straws? Or decide amongst yourselves when I'm not around? I know I'm attracted to each of you, and I'm not particularly scared of the act itself... I've read about it plenty to know the mechanics, but I'd rather not make this decision."

She felt proud of herself that she had managed to get that whole speech out in one go, though she had kept her eyes firmly planted on her plate. When she glanced up, she couldn't read Kingsley's face. "Very well Hermione," he responded, "I shall discuss it with the others, and the one who is chosen will come to you directly. After that, we'll make arrangements for the rest of us."

After a moment of pregnant silence, Kingsley deftly moved the conversation to easier subjects, and they continued to get to know one another. After a few moments, Kingsley stood and offered Hermione his hand. "Thank you for a most pleasant afternoon. Before we return, may I have the pleasure of kissing you?" She nodded, having hoped he would ask.

He helped her from her chair, then drew her close. One arm wrapped around her waist, and it became evident to her how much bigger he was than her. Her head barely came to his shoulder. She tipped her head back to look into his face, and he leaned down so that his lips could press to hers. This wasn't quite like the hesitant way the kiss with George has begun the day before. Kingsley was entirely sure of himself an this kiss. She opened her mouth to his without prompting, which he enjoyed immensely. He kept the kiss brief and teasing, dipping into her mouth for a moment before pulling away from her. "Thank you for a most enjoyable afternoon. Shall we return to Grimmauld place? We can use the floo here."

Hermione was almost annoyed by how put-together Kingsley sounded. When we responded, she took note of how breathless she sounded, "Yes, that would be fine. Thank you so much for such a wonderful date. It was so much more than I could have ever expected."

She preceded him into the floo, and came out in the kitchen of Grimmauld. She waited for him to return, and they both went to see who else was around. They found all four of the other men in a seating room off the library. Each was occupied in their own endeavor, but when they saw the couple return, they put aside their entertainment and asked how the date went. Hermione was the one who responded, "It was wonderful."

Kingsley gave her a significant look and said, "Yes, it was most enjoyable and insightful. Hermione, I think we have a few things to discuss. Would you like to join us?"

She knew exactly what he was referring to. Her cheeks pinked and she shook her head. "No, thank you. I think I'll retire early for the evening."

Before she could make her grand exit, Sirius caught her attention. "Hermione, while you're reading this evening, please be thinking about what you'd like for a wedding. We were talking after you left this morning, and would like to discuss our preferences for guests with you in the morning. However, everything else we'll leave up to you. Let us know how we can help, alright?"

She nodded absentmindedly, and went to find her room. The men in the room watched her as she left, admiring the sway in her step. When she was out of view, they turned to Kingsley. Harry was the one who finally asked the question on everyone's mind. "Alright Kings, what's this all about?"

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait! I'm completely inconsistent, and am publishing as I go. Next up: Guys discuss sex. Should be fun :) You can submit your vote for: Who will Hermione consummate her marriage with first? And, what should Hermione's date with Harry be?! Thanks to those of you who have stuck around this long, or are joining us for the first time. Due to some scheduling things, there is a significant possibility for quicker updates.**

**Finally: I don't love the actor chosen for Kingsley in the movie. Kingsley in my head more closely resembles (and sounds) like Nonso Anozie.**


	6. Quite the Conversation

_Harry was the one who finally asked the question on everyone's mind. "Alright Kings, what's this all about?"_

Kingsley looked around the men seated in the room. Sirius and Harry shared a couch closest to him. George was slumped down comfortably in the matching love seat. Draco sat in an armchair by a fireplace with a small blaze burning in the grate. All of them were staring at Kingsley expectantly. He made his way to a bar located on he side, poured everyone a tumbler of Firewhiskey, and finally made his way to the open armchair across from Draco.

All the men on room were starting to get slightly concerned. When Kingsley began to sip his drink, showing no sign of starting whatever conversation he intended to initiate, it was Sirius who spoke up this time. "Well?" he exclaimed impatiently.

"As you all know, we are getting married to Hermione on Friday. As part of completing the ritual and bonding, we must each consummate the marriage with Hermione." Sirius, Draco and George were all nodding their heads. Only Harry looked surprised.

Harry interrupted, not able to stay silent. "Does Hermione know? Do we all have to sleep with her on the wedding day? How does that even work?"

Kingsley met Harry's eyes, sensing the deep caring he help for Hermione, even if he hadn't entirely come to terms with their current situation. "I discussed it with her today. That is why I wanted to speak with you all this evening. It does not all have to happen on the wedding night. In situations such as this, magic allows a day for each spouse, in this case husband, wed. That does include the wedding day."

Harry looked uneasily back at Kingsley before responding. "Why isn't she here?"

Kingsley glanced around the room before proceeding. "What I imagine you know Harry, and you might be aware, and I suspect George is as well, Hermione is a virgin." Her paused for a moment and took the time to meet the eyes of each individual. Harry and George both nodded, indicating this was not a surprise to them. When he looked at Sirius and Draco they both looked somewhat shocked. "Not only has she never had sex, but the most she's ever done is snog one wizard. You understand my concern.

"We spoke today, and she understands the implications of the wedding and wedding night. I asked her to decide who she wanted to spend her first night with, and she said she did not think that was a conversation she could be a part of.

"She has asked that we decide for her. She assured me that she is very attracted to each of us, and would be fine with whomever we decide. She even suggested we might draw straws again. I thought it might be prudent to discuss concerns and suggestions, before we resort to... drawing straws."

After a moments pause, Sirius took a long sip of his drink and spoke, "As much as I am looking forward to being with Hermione... it's been so long since I was with a woman. First there was Azkaban, then after I escaped and was on the run it's not like I particularly had time. Then I was in hiding, and all the pretty birds were taken. I've been in the veil since then. I don't trust myself to take care of her the way a gentleman should. I think I'm out of contention, at least for her first time." When he was done, Sirius Black was blushing. It was the first time any of them had seen that occurrence, and he quickly downed the rest of his drink, before going to get himself another. "Anyone need a top off?" he asked. A few heads bobbed, and he walked around, refilling glasses before finally returning to his seat, bottle placed at his feet for easy access.

George spoke up next. "I've no concerns about myself, to be honest. I'm not the most experienced man in the room, I'm sure, but I've had a chance for encounters with a few witches. Besides that, Hermione and I did discuss this topic, so I think she would be comfortable with me. Unless anyone has any concerns, I'd like to stay on the list."

Kingsley gave him a nod, and decided he would be the next to go, as Harry and Draco weren't looking ready to speak up quite yet. "I have had quite a few witches in my bed. I know I would take care of her well. It would be an honor to share her first time with her. I'd also like to stay on the list."

Eyes moved to Draco and Harry, the only two who had yet to speak. They glanced at each other, and Harry nodded to Draco to go first.

Draco kept his face impassive, "I don't think I'd be a wise choice. She is already skittish around me, and considering our less than pleasant history, I don't want to make it worse. Not to mention that I have very limited experience in these areas, as I am also a virgin."

Every eye on the room was already upon him, but at this final statement Harry laughed out loud. "You have to be joking!" he exclaimed. "You were the sex-god of Slytherin! Everyone heard storied of your exploits, and you're telling us it was all fake?"

Draco's stoic countenance stayed in place, though his cheeks did turn slightly pink. "My parents instilled from an early age that respectable wizards did not sleep around. They encouraged experimentation of other kinds, but sex was very strictly frowned upon. Out of respect for them and my future bride, I have not had sex. I have done plenty of other things with a witch or two, but mostly those rumors were started by girls who wanted me to stoop to their level. Everyone wanted a piece of the Malfoy heir, even though I wasn't for sale."

The room sat in stunned silence for a long moment, during which Draco drained his glass, levitated the half empty bottom from Sirius's feet, and poured himself another glass which he also made a sizable dent in.

Harry was finally able to pick his jaw up off the floor. Harry's inner monologue had been somewhat the same since Kingsley brought up the marriage bonds and ceremony. _Am I mad enough at her to not even want to share something this special with her? I've loved her for so long, and only since this whole mess began have I started to look at her with something more than friendly affection and objective admiration. I want to rebuild the trust we have, and put this whole mess behind us._

"I've only ever been with Ginny." Harry began after another moment of silence. "We ended things recently, but it was a mutual decision. The chemistry we share is amazing, but that's all we have. I am so incredibly attracted to Hermione, and I know she trusts me. I think I could make her first time special and memorable, so I'd also like to stay in the running."

Kingsley gave a nod, and took a moment to organize his thoughts. "So, George, Harry and I all believe we would be good choices for Hermione's first time. Before we make a final decision, are there any concerns about the parties put forward?" He waited an interminable thirty seconds for someone to voice an objection. When no one did, he withdrew his wand and conjured three shells and a pearl, handing them to Sirius and Draco.

"Sirius and Draco, since you have withdrawn your names, one of you will mix up the shells, and the other will decide the choosing order. Once we have chosen who Hermione will spend her first night with, we can ask her to decide if she wants to choose an order for the subsequent nights, or allow it to happen organically."

Sirius and Draco walked to the bar. Sirius hid the pearl beneath one of the shells, and Draco chose the order. "Harry first, then George. Kingsley, you're last pick.'

Harry stepped forward first. He chose the center shell, and was disappointed when the space beneath was empty.

Next up was George. He took a moment to glance at the shell to the left, and the one to the right. He chose the shell on the left, and when he turned around, he held the pearl in his hand and had a huge smile lighting up his face. "No hard feelings, yeah?"

Harry and Kingsley both came to shake George's hand, and confirmed no hard feelings, though both delivered messages that if he hurt her, they would hurt him in turn.

"Why don't you tell her in the morning," Kingsley suggested. "She had a long day today, and will be with Harry tomorrow."

George gave a solemn nod of response. "How was your date Kings? Where did you take her?"

With that, Kingsley recounted the events of the day, glossing over his brief but glorious kiss with Hermione, and focusing instead on the locations and Hermione's reactions. After he was done, the men sat around discussing various subjects amicably. While Draco could have been left out, Kingsley and George made a conscious effort to include him, even if Harry and Sirius did not.

One by one, the men left the room. George was the last to leave, having spent a few minutes in quiet contemplation, focusing on how he would tell Hermione the news that they would be spending their wedding night together. He couldn't wait until the next morning.

_A/N: Thanks for reading! I love to read your reviews, especially about what I'm doing with Draco (and will do...). Let me know your suggestions/predictions for George's telling in the morning, Harry's date tomorrow, and anything else you'd like to see in the next few chapters._


	7. Fireworks and Families

_George was the last to leave, having spent a few minutes in quiet contemplation, focusing on how he would tell Hermione the news that they would be spending their wedding night together. He couldn't wait until the next morning. _

Hermione had trouble getting to sleep. Half of her was tempted to go listen at the door, as the most important men in her life discussed her. The other half wasn't quite courageous enough. After a few moments of indecision, she opted to wait, and see what happened.

Sirius had reminded her that she still had a wedding to plan. When she was a child she had, of course, thought about what she wanted in a wedding. Never had she thought there would be five grooms, but she had thought about the dress, and the food. The venue, that gorgeous church down from where she grew up.

Unfortunately, she hadn't had much time to think about weddings in the last eight years or so. At nineteen, what she wanted was probably incredibly different than when we she was seven. The things that held significance for her before she was exposed to the world of magic now had a much weaker hold on her.

She had no wedding magazines, so she decided to make a list of what she might want, and perhaps Harry, Draco and Sirius would be willing to do some wedding planning during their dates. She spent the next several hours making 2 lists. Her first was things she wanted at her own wedding. This first list was primarily filled with things that she knew were part of Muggle weddings, and a few things she had observed at Bill and Fleur's wedding the year before. The second list was questions she had about Wizarding weddings. She was so unfamiliar with he traditions. She wasn't sure what the precedent was multiple spouses. When she was done, she reviewed each of her lists before bed:

Wants:

-Small - very few guests

-No press, absolutely private

-Trusted wizard/witch photographer (Dennis Creevey?)

-White Dress (Robes?)

-One Witness (Luna?)

-Outdoors (where?)

-Dessert reception only, keep it brief

-Personalized magical boutonnieres (Harry: Snitch; George: sparkler; Sirius: Grimm; Kingsley: eagle; Draco: dragon)

-Flowers: Peonies,

Questions:

-Do I need rings?

-Should I write my own vows?

-WIll I have to kiss each of them in front of everyone?

-Is it traditional to be walked down the aisle? If so, should I ask someone?

-What magic is involved with the ceremony?

-Is there traditionally a bride and groom case?

-Do I need to pick a color/theme for the men to wear?

She went to bed feeling good about what she accomplished, but nervous with how much there was to do before Friday. It was almost Tuesday, and there was a limited amount of time. She told herself no matter what, she was saving Sirius, and now everyone else as well, and that was what mattered.

Tuesday morning found Hermione sleeping in late once again after a late night. She was startled awake by a knock on her door. She jolted up, hand on her wand before realizing there was no real danger. She waited a moment before walking over to the door, and opening it.

She didn't find a person on the other side of the door, but she did find a beautifully wrapped package. It was covered in a shiny red paper, with a gold bow on the top. She saw a small label which said "Open Me" in flashing letters. She looked both ways, and not seeing anyone lingering, she brought the package inside to open it. She set it in the middle of the bed, and ripped open the packaging. Before she could get a good look inside, she was surprised by an explosion of color, (which while not painful, was certainly startling enough to propel her off the foot of the bed).

The colors were beautiful, and she immediately knew this gift had come from none other than George Weasley. The colors continued to explode in a magnificent mini fireworks show, until the swirling, sparking shower coalesced into words. Her face went from annoyed awe to blatant amusement, and she began to laugh at the wonderful absurdity, "Hermione, can't wait to spend our wedding night together!"

After the colors faded away, she stood in a moment of awe, contemplating the decision made for her. _At least I know it will be fun! _she thought. _I'm glad I didn't have to make this choice. I never could have picked one of them, and risked hurting all the rest. This way, they decided. I wonder if they really did draw straws? How did George get so lucky twice? _Once she had spent a moment processing, she quickly dressed in muggle clothing, not knowing what Harry would have planned, but knowing her preferred jeans and a t-shirt just as she did.

She cast a quick _tempus_ charm to check the time, and seeing she was still early enough for a late breakfast, headed down to the kitchen. She found all of her men waiting for her, and it quickly dawned on her that they were making a few other momentous decisions this morning, namely: who would be invited to the wedding? Who was going to find out about this little situation before the rest of the world? It suddenly dawned on her that between the Weasley's, the Malfoy's and the Shackelbolt's, she would probably end up with the most Mother-In-Law's any woman had had to put up with in a long time. And what a group of women they were.

Sirius was the first to welcome her to room, "Hermione! Good morning my dear. We were just about to come get you, as we have a few items to discuss with you before you and Harry leave for your date." He came over and wrapped his arm around her to lead her into the room as everyone else offered their morning pleasantries. She made eye contact with each in turn, and blushed prettily when her eyes met George. He gave her a quick wink, and mouthed _later. _

She sat at the table, and served herself from what was left of the morning spread. They allowed her a few bites in peace, which she was grateful for, but she eventually turned back to Siruis and asked, "Did you decide if you wanted to invite any guests?"

He nodded and said, "As you know, most of the people closest to me have either passed on, or are in this room. The only people I'd like to include are Andromeda and Teddy. They're my only living family, and Andromeda is very discreet. Do you have any objections?"

She quickly shook her head, and turned to Kingsley. "What about you Kings?"

He gave her a nod that he had heard her, but took a moment to respond. "As the Minister of Magic, normally I would conduct the ceremony with so many high profile individuals are part of the bonding, but since I'll be participating in the ceremony, that won't be possible. I would like to choose the Officiator. Beyond that, my parents have also passed, and I have no siblings. I don't have anyone else I will insist upon having as part of the ceremony."

Hermione nodded her ascent, and turned to Draco. "What about you D-draco?" she stuttered over the user of his first name, not used to it coming off her tongue.

He looked her way, his face impassive. "I would like my mother to come. If you would permit, I would like to tell her today, and if she requests perhaps meet her for lunch with you tomorrow. I know this will come as a shock to her, as it will to everyone, but I know she will want to be a part of my bonding, regardless of the circumstances. Kingsley, could you arrange for her house arrest to be temporarily lifted so she could attend the ceremony, and we could meet for lunch outside the Manor?"

He allowed Kingsley a moment to nod before continuing. "Lucius is still in Azkaban, but even if he weren't my mother and I have cut ties. If it would be permissible, I'd also like to have Theodore Nott in attendance. He knows how to keep his mouth shut." He didn't say anything more about their relationship, but even from those brief words Hermione could sense the importance of their friendship, what might be the only friendship Draco had maintained after his falling-out-of-grace with Polite and Death Eater society both.

She felt the need to verbally respond this time. "If your mother would like, I'd be fine with meeting for lunch, as long as it's not at Malfoy Manor. Theo coming would also be permissible, if you are vouching for his trustworthiness. Unless... Kingsley do you have any objections?" After the quick shake of his head, Hermione turned to George. He was who she was most worried about, though she could already anticipate his response. "What about you George?"

He leveled her with an even, almost apologetic, look. "I'd really like mum and dad to come. While I know this will be difficult for her to understand, I don't think she'd ever forgive us if we bonded without her there. I'd also like to go see them today to break the news. Bill and Fleur are in France, Bill is in Romania. I have no desire for Percy to come. I would like Ginny and Ron to come, but I'll understand if that would be too awkward. I'll leave that up to you and Harry to decide. Maybe you should discuss it today? I'll tell mum you haven't decided when I see her today, and tell her I'll get back to her."

Hermione's face had paled slightly at his decision, but she swallowed her anxiety, gave him a small smile of thanks for his consideration, and nodded. She turned to Harry and asked, "What about you?"

She expected a snappish answer to cement his frustration with her once again. Instead, Harry gave a deep sigh. "I was thinking just Lune and Neville. We can discuss Ron and Ginny today, but I want Luna and Neville to be there. I think they'd be the most accepting of our friends."

She nodded in agreement, and then looked around the table once again. "Alright, that all seems reasonable. You've all covered almost everyone I wanted to attend as well. The only person I was thinking of inviting in addition was Professor McGonagall. Perhaps we can discuss inviting her tonight?

"I was doing some wedding planning last night, and had some things planned out, along with some questions of things I needed help with. If you'll wait just a moment, I can get my lists, and perhaps we can divide tasks a bit?" Heads bobbed, and she quickly got up from the table, and brought down her lists.

The men surveyed the lists, and offered to go over her questions with her that evening when she and Harry returned from their date. From her to-do and desires list, Sirius offered to take her dress shopping Friday; Kingsley offered to find a suitable outdoor location; Draco offered to discuss getting the flowers from the Malfoy gardens with his mother that day; Harry offered to discuss photography with Dennis Creevey; George offered to discuss desserts with Molly, confident that she would be pleased to be a part of the bonding day.

With that sorted, everyone scattered to their tasks and plans for the day. After a few moments, it was only Harry and Hermione left in the kitchen. She looked over at him and asked, "Did you have something planned, or do you want me to pick?"

He looked at her intently, glad she was wearing comfortable clothes and said, "I was thinking we could go visit Potter Manor, explore the grounds, and perhaps work on the inside a bit. We have a lot to discuss. I hate being upset with you Mione', but I think you understand."

She did, she really did. And she wanted to be sorry, but how could she when her purpose had succeeded, even if not in the way she expected? She nodded, grabbed his offered hand, and headed to the front porch so he could apparate her to their intended date spot.

**A/N: Sorry for the double-post... Apparently you guys can't read code... who knew?! Thanks so much to all of my awesome reviewers - you guys make writing so worth it! All constructive criticism, story suggestions, or general feedback is greatly appreciated! Also, this month is NaNoWriMo. My goal this month is to write 50,000 words between this and another work (offline). So, if you haven't seen a chapter in a few days, feel free to bug me so I reach my goals! Thanks for being awesome, lovely readers. **


	8. Potter Manners

_She nodded, grabbed his offered hand, and headed to the front porch so he could apparate her to their intended date spot. _

When the pulling behind her bellybutton stopped, Harry's arms, wrapped around her for their brief journey, stayed around her for an extra moment ensuring that she wouldn't fall as she acclimated to being on the ground once more. In that moment, she felt a sense of rightness, and knew that no matter what else they did today, they had to resolve this conflict between them. She needed her best friend, especially right now. She was scared, and hopeful, and nervous, about transitioning from friends to lovers.

As Harry stepped away from her, she looked around. They were standing in an overgrown garden, in front of what the Malfoy's might have considered a modest, but was still an enormous manor. The house looked structurally sounds, but the years of neglect showed in the crumbling front steps, windows covered in layers of grime, and ivy covering the entirety of the front of the stone face. She wondered what the inside would look like, and imagined it was in a similar state of disrepair. She hoped it was recoverable - she knew how much this place must mean to Harry.

She turned to him and asked, "You were here yesterday?"

He nodded, and replied, "Would you like me to show you around?"

"Absolutely!" She replied.

He moved for the door, and she followed behind him. He opened a surprisingly sturdy oak door, which had weathered the years well. The inside was dark, but Harry cast a _Lumos_ charm, and Hermione followed suit. "It was never wired for electricity, and I haven't found the right charm to light all of the chandeliers."

She pointed her wand's light toward the ceiling and saw a candle chandelier that appeared to be in working order. She extinguished her light, pointed towards the fixture, and with a flick and swish said "levis flammae". The candles sprang to life, and Harry threw her a look of appreciation.

Even with the candles flickering above them, the room was still quite dim, so she and Harry kept their wand-lights. "This is the foyer. I haven't had time to explore completely, but this divides the house in half, North and South wings. The bottom floor are the more public rooms: a small ballroom, kitchen, formal and casual dining areas, a parlor, informal living area, as well as a library. They did install indoor plumbing, which is wonderful. There are two half bathrooms down here, along with a natural hot spring in the basement, which I suspect provides hot water to the whole house, as well as supplies several pools with varying temperatures.

"The bedrooms are upstairs. A master bedroom in each wing, along with several other suites. I believe it's 10 bedrooms in total. Each wing also has a study and a common sitting area outside the suite. According to the full paperwork Kingsley provided, there are also House Elves that came with property." Before she could interrupt with her outrage, he held up his hand. "I know that you don't care for them, but we really need them to keep up the house. The outside is a mess, but the inside is relatively well-kept. Only one or two elves are on property, the rest have been staying with other families. I have spoken to all of them. They will be paid, and have accepted a week of vacation a year. I tried to dismiss them, and they flatly refused. If you would like to speak to them, you may."

She wanted to argue, she really did. She knew he could see it on her face, but she wasn't up to the fight right now. Instead, she allowed her displeasure a the situation to settle over her face for a few moments before she nodded and said, "Perhaps another day I could speak with them. Did you want to give me the grand tour of the house, or did you have other plans?"

"I was actually hoping we could go for a walk on the grounds and talk. Hermione, you know I'm upset. We need to talk about this. I brought some lunch, and there's a nice spot by a pond out back. Let's go."

She followed in his wake as he led her back out the front door, (extinguishing the candles as she went), down the crumbling steps, around the house, (which was quite a trek), and to a small pond in the back. It appeared someone, either Harry of the house elves, had come and cleared a small seating area. A blanket was already laid on the ground with a basket on top, and they both sat. Harry pulled deli sandwiches out of the basket, along with some crisps and apples.

As she began eating, he stared at her, and decided he would just start talking. "Hermione, I'm so frustrated! I need you to tell me what was going through your head! I've been a pawn for so long, I hate feeling like I'll be in that position for such a monumental decision, and yet there's nothing I can do. You have me between a rock and a hard place. I can't lose Sirius again. And Hermione, I care about you, but _marriage_? I'd never considered it, especially not this young. I'm barely 18 Hermione, you're 19, and we not only are marrying each other, but also _Malfoy_, the boy who insulted and degraded you or years. He fought on the wrong side of a war, and though I may have spoken for him, that doesn't make him any less of a prick. I can barely stand to be in the same room as him, and now I have to be civil for the rest of our lives? How could you do this?"

The whole time he was speaking, he never raised his voice. While he may have been a fly-off-the-handle boy, he had grown into quite the man. It was obvious he'd let this build for the last several days. She wondered if he had talked to Sirius about any of this.

"No," he responded. "I wanted to talk to you about it Hermione. You're my best friend. Have been since Halloween of first year. It's always been you, Ron and me. I thought that we should have time to work this out ourselves, not involve Sirius. We have to be able to work through our own issues, especially if we're really doing this."

She had finished her sandwich, and brushed her hands together to displace any lingering crumbs. "It's obvious this has upset you Harry, and that you've thought a lot about it. I have too. Please, just hear me out. I never meant for any of this to happen! I was desperate. You were so depressed, you hadn't even applied to the Aurory Harry, and it's been your dream since you found out it's what your dad wanted to do. I didn't know what else to do.

"For a while I thought Ginny would be enough. You seemed so good together, but then you both broke it off. I'm still not clear on why you did, and to be honest that's one of the things I'm most worried about... did I take you away from her? But Harry, I had to do something. When I came across the spell, it didn't say anything about the bonding. I thought if Sirius came back, you'd be able to both live. You could follow your dreams, or make new dreams, anything to start living again. Don't you see? I was so worried about losing you too!"

She started tearing up, and Harry reached out to grab her hand, but stayed quiet to see if she would continue. After a moment, she started to speak once again. "I might have been more selective of who I brought with us, but Harry, it's done. There's not going back, and I can't be sorry for what happened. Sirius is alive! You have a family, in me and George and Sirius, and yes, even Kingsley and Draco. We can figure out a way to make this work, but you have to want it Harry. You and Draco have to figure out your issues. He and I still have a lot to get through, but Harry so much is in the past. I've changed from that little bookworm know-it-all that I was for so many years at Hogwarts. You're changed from the scared boy-who-lived. You have made a name for yourself. Draco must be different too. We all lived through a war, and it's shaped us into who we are now, and I truly believe that the person Draco is now is very different from the boy who called me Mudblood. We both have to give him a chance.

"I never wanted to make you feel powerless. It was never my intention to take your choices, or make you a pawn. So I'm telling you, you have a choice. You may not be able to not marry us, but you have a choice in how you act in this relationship. You can try and love me in this new way, you can try and get along with Draco and the others, you can make this a family, or you can withdraw and do the bare minimum. I'm asking you to try, Harry. I'm asking you to understand, and to be the man I know you are. Please, Harry."

By the end, tears had left tracks down her cheeks, her nose was sniffling, and she was sure she looked a mess. Yet Harry was staring at her with new realization. "I knew you had your reasons Hermione, but I didn't know you were that worried. You probably had reason to be so concerned. I was in a very low place, and having Sirius back has been wonderful. It just feels like such a high price to pay."

He reached over and stroked her cheek, clearing away the stray tears with his thumb. She leaned into his touch, and before she quite knew what was happening, he had leaned over and pressed his lips gently to hers. It was a brief kiss, but it was the comfort she needed. She smiled and turned her head to kiss the hand still cupping her cheek. "Before you do that again, tell me what happened with Ginny."

He withdrew his hand, and looked at her intently. "We didn't work. You were right in some ways when you said we were great together. We had amazing chemistry. The physical side of our relationship, the sex, was really great, but there was no deeper emotion besides friendship. We both knew it, but were afraid, I think. We'd both lost so much, so right after the way we got back together. It was comforting, but after a few months, we both decided that it was better if we went our separate ways to allow each other the opportunity to find someone who would love us in that special way, that we could grow old with. I think she might have even found someone else, but we both knew it was time to end it. Because of all that, if it's alright with you, I'd like to invite her to the bonding. She will want to know that this is what I want."

Hermione considered for a moment. "Is this what you want? Are you willing to try Harry?"

"I don't think I can say this is the way I wanted something like this to happen, but I'm glad it's you and not any other woman. I'm willing to try with you Hermione, and I'm willing to make an effort with everyone else too."

At this statement, Hermione leaned over and initiated another kiss. It started out gentle, but soon she was straddling his lap, tongues dueling in a passionate dance. After a few moments, they pulled away for a breath, and Hermione had a thought pop into her mind. "So, how did you decide who I would spend the wedding night with?"

Harry shifted below her, and tapped her side so she would move next to him. He lay back on the blanket to watch the clouds, and she followed suit, grabbing his had and she did. "We tried to determine who might be the best fit for you. Sirius and Draco opted out; perhaps it's best to ask them why. George, Kings and I all wanted to spend that night with you. We thought the most objective way to decide would be by chance again, so we left it up to fate. I think George will be good for you - it should be a fun night. And we'll all get a chance to spend time with you, I can wait my turn." He smiled at her, easing the tension he felt building in her after speaking about such an awkward topic. When he heard her breezy laughter, he was glad things were returning to a semblance of normalcy.

They spent another hour laying in the grass, holding hands, occasionally exchanging kisses, and talking through their happier memories together. Eventually, Harry broached the topic of Ron. "So what ever happened with you? I know he wanted you, and I thought you had wanted him too. Is this taking that chance away? I know you never really dated, but I thought you were waiting for your chance."

She was so glad he hadn't asked about sex. Since he already knew she was a virgin, and suspected he had been aware of her celibate status before the night before when they raffled off her virginity, she felt comfortable discussing it in more depth than she had with the others. "You know I wanted him back in sixth year... but after he chose Lavender, instead of coming to me with his feelings, I didn't feel like a relationship was something we could really sustain. After he left us when we were traveling, it further solidified that a relationship with him wasn't something I wanted. Then, after the battle, we shared a kiss, and for a moment, I wondered. But the kiss really cemented for me that it wasn't meant to be. It was awful Harry! The only way I can describe it is wet and awkward. I thought that's all kissing was, until George showed me what I've been missing.

"Anyway, I just knew it wasn't right. I told him my decision, and he said he understood. Do you think he's still hoping it'll happen? I've heard he's dated a few women since then. Do you know something I don't?"

Harry looked at her carefully before answering. "Last I heard, he was trying to make you jealous so you'd pine after him, like he feels you did with Lavender. I think he's still holding out hope, and I think we both owe it to him to tell him the truth, and invite him to the bonding. He's been my best mate since the train first year, and I wouldn't feel right hiding this from him. Maybe I should tell him alone? Tomorrow?"

"I think that would be best," she responded. "I don't like the idea of hiding something like this from him either, but I don't want him there if he's going to try to disrupt the bonding, or cause a scene. This will already be hard enough without that kind of extra drama. Maybe Ginny can keep him in line?"

Harry laughed at this last part, and agreed he would talk to both Ginny and Ron the next day, and report to her about how it went. With that, he helped her up, vanished the remaining picnic items, and they walked back to the front of the house to apparate back to Grimmauld Place.

When they arrived back, everyone was gathered in the kitchen. Hermione looked around and asked, "So, how did it go for you all?"

**A/N: Next up: George tells the Weasleys, Draco tells Narcissa, Sirius tells Andromeda, and Kingsley arranges for Officiator. Reviews are always appreciated! I know some of you have been waiting for Hermione/Harry to clear the air, so hopefully this satisfies that for you. More to come...**


	9. Invitees

_When they arrived back, everyone was gathered in the kitchen. Hermione looked around and asked, "So, how did it go for you all?"_

Silence reigned for a moment as everyone gazed at Harry and Hermione who were holding hands. After what felt like an awkward moment, Sirius said "Why don't you come in, eat some supper and a spot of tea, and then we can move somewhere more comfortable to share about our days. I trust yours went well?"

Harry and Hermione nodded in unison, and followed Sirius's instructions. After they had eaten, everyone gathered in the same sitting room off the library. There was a fire already blazing in the grate, as if someone had anticipated their coming.

When everyone was comfortably seated, Sirius broke the building tension in the room. "I told Andromeda this morning. She was a bit stunned when I walked in the door, but just laughed when she found out the circumstances. She'll be there on Friday with Teddy. We had a nice chat about the afterlife, and then I came back in time for lunch."

Hermione smiled slightly, glad it had gone well, but worried about the reactions yet to come. Her gaze shifted to Draco next. "What about you? How did it go with your mother?"

His impassive expression wavered for just a moment. She thought she saw a slight tipping up of his lips, but it was so brief she thought she might have imagined it. "Mother will be in attendance on Friday, and as I anticipated, she wants to meet for dinner tomorrow. Kingsley, were you able to arrange a reprieve in her house arrest for those two events?"

He waited for Kingsley to give his nod of affirmation before continuing. "My mother, of course, doesn't care about blood status. While she doesn't object to you as my partner Hermione, she knows the animosity that has existed between us. I think she wants a chance to discuss with you the circumstances. I don't expect anything so embarrassing as a scene in a public place, but don't expect her to go easy on you Granger. I'm her only son, and she's not overly pleased with the thought that this wasn't my choice.

"I know this is hard for both of us, especially since we haven't had time to talk since this all started, so I'd like a chance to speak with you before we meet my mother. If you would be agreeable, I'd like to go to lunch tomorrow, and then we can meet my mother for dinner later that night."

Hermione nodded her agreement, having paled slightly at the thought of going head-to-head with Narcissa Malfoy. The woman was quite the force to be reckoned with. She was about to move on before Draco spoke again. "I also spoke to Theo briefly. He'll be in attendance as well, though he is worried of being antagonized for who his father was."

Hermione knew there was no reassurance any of them could give, but she hoped there would be minimal drama. After all, Draco Malfoy was already part of the ceremony, so how much worse could it get, at least in the eyes of those who cared? When she had allowed a moment for anyone to offer reassurances, (of which there were none), she looked around the room. She hesitated, glanced at George, and then moved past him to Kingsley. "Were you able to find an Official to perform the bonding ceremony?"

He nodded, then hesitated before speaking. It was so unusual for the man, that Hermione began to feel uneasy. "I hope you will not mind, but I've taken the liberty of asking Minerva McGonagall to serve as our Ministry Official. As the Headmistress of Hogwarts, she is afforded an Official Level within the Ministry, even if it is mostly for show, and to allow her a vote on Ministry voting for the school.

"She was quite shocked to hear of what occurred. I think she was secretly quite impressed with your ability to pull off a spell of this magnitude. She expressed her concerns, which I assured her we all share. She had agreed, and will be performing the bonding ceremony. It will require a bit of research on her and my part to determine how to cast the spell with this many participants, as it has been a while since it was performed. I believe she was asking one of the older portraits.

"We spent some time in the Hogwarts library this afternoon, and were able to find another mention of a bonding of this many partners. While marriage between three, and even four, magical person was quite common until a century ago. That was when Muggle concepts of morality began to infiltrate the Wizarding community, as more and more Muggleborns were introduced to society. Regardless, we were able to find a dated mention of one such bonding with five parties. She is planning to use the date to speak to the portraits from that time. If she cannot, she will modify the bonding between four slightly to accommodate us."

Hermione was stunned. She remembered a mention of multi-wizard matches from History of Magic, but always thought it was men who were selfish and wanted multiple wives. Never had she imagined that she herself would be in this position, or that it seemed to be more common that what she had been lead to believe. And so recent. She would have to do more research - this was a topic she had never spent much time on. "I think that's acceptable. I was thinking of inviting Professor McGonagall, this way I won't have to explain it to her myself. Thank you for saving me that embarrassment."

He nodded. Finally, she turned to George. She could put it off no longer, as he was the only one who had yet to report on his day. "George, how did it go?" she asked quietly. If they hadn't all already known what she was about to ask, they may not have heard her.

-Earlier that Day, at the Burrow-

_"George!" Molly exclaimed, "How lovely to see you my dear. We've missed you, hardly seen you since, well..." She let the sentence hang unfinished. _

_Since before Fred died, he thought. It's been too hard to be around her. I haven't been able to step in the shop since it happened. Most of the time I'm just hanging on, but with Hermione... it's like there's hope. For the first time since Fred died, it's like life seems it can keep on going. Being surrounded by those who understood his loss was especially comforting. Sirius, he felt, understood better than most. He had lost his biological brother, and his adoptive brothers. He knew what it was like. _

_He thought back to the day after his date with Hermione. He was feeling guilty for having such a wonderful time, depression threatening to overtake him once more, when Sirius found him. He didn't have to say much, but he had lain his hand on George's should and said, "They would want us to be happy. We will live our lives to the fullest in their memory and honor. We will take this blessing, this second chance at life for what it is." It was simple, and yet it was the hardest thing in the world. It was all that was said, but it was enough. _

_"Mum, I've got some news. Can you call dad, ask him to come home? I don't want to have to tell this twice." _

_Molly hustled over to floo call Arthur, and a moment later he was there. Molly bustled around the kitchen to quickly rustle up an enormous amount of food, and a few minutes later the three were seated around the kitchen table, a place very familiar to each one. "What's going on, son?" Arthur asked._

_"Mum, dad, I want you to let me talk, and wait until the end to ask questions. I'm sure you'll have many, but just let me get this all out." He waited for nods of confirmation. His father, of course, was quick to acquiesce. Molly hesitated, but when George made it clear he wouldn't proceed until she did, she gave a begrudging nod._

_"I'm getting married on Friday."_

_Molly screeched, "You're getting WHAT?" Arthur grabbed her arm, and George just gave her a look. She gave an embarrassed clear of her throat and made a zipping motion over her lips. _

_"I'd like to invite you to attend the bonding ceremony. I'll be marrying Hermione Granger." Molly gave another strangles sound. "In addition, I'll also be bonding with Harry Potter, Sirius Black, Kingsley Shacklebolt and Draco Malfoy." Molly nearly swooned, even Arthur looked complete shell-shocked._

_"As you can probably imagine, it wasn't exactly planned. And yes, Sirius Black is back from that dead. That's actually how all of this happened." George proceeded to tell the whole story. How Hermione had kidnapped them all to revive Sirius, how Kingsley revealed magic demanded they all bond if they were to survive. He ended with his date with Hermione. "We decided to wait a week, the most magic would allow, so we could get to know one another. Mum, dad, I really care about Hermione. We went on a date, and it was the happiest I'd been in... since... I know this is hard to accept, but even though this wasn't planned, I'm happy about this."_

_After a moment of silence, Molly asked, "Are you quite done?" George nodded hesitantly. "How do you feel about having to share? Multi-partner bondings are not easy things. They require patience and understanding. Plus, you'll be having to share with Draco Malfoy. How do you expect to deal with that?"_

_George was surprised to note she didn't sound very upset. It sounded more like she was trying to help him reason through the challenges he would face. "To be honest, I'm not sure how I feel about having to share. I know I don't have a choice. I'm curious how we'll make it work, but I have no doubt that it will work. I'm willing to do what it takes to makes sure that this weird family dynamic we'll be creating will be loving, tight-knit, and as close as you brought us up to be._

_"As for Draco Malfoy... mum, he's different. I can't really explain it, but I'll try. Mum, he's been at Grimmauld place since this started. He's been quiet, but cordial. He hasn't mentioned my "blood-traitor" status, he hasn't called Hermione a mudblood, he has done his fair share of the work, and been surprisingly honest with us. I think a lot of who he was perceived to be had to do with who he was surrounded by, and his home environment, especially Lucius Malfoy. I'm sure we'll have our conflicts, but I think he's just a willing to work in this situation as the rest of us."_

_Molly looked towards Arthur, then back to George and nodded. She stood up, walked around to George and enveloped him in a hug. For a moment, she just held him, a few tears may have slipped out from each one. "Alright then, that's that. What can I do to help?"_

_George laughed and hugged his mother once again, then reached out to shake his father's proffered hand. "So you'll be there?" he asked, needing confirmation._

_"Of course we will. We're with you. You know we love Harry and Hermione like family, always hoped they'd be part of the family. What's a few extra people? So, what can we do to help?"_

_George felt overwhelmed by the love and acceptance his mother offered with no strings attached. "We were actually hoping you'd make dessert for the reception after the bonding. If it's not too much trouble. We can always order from Fortescue's or another place in Diagon Alley."_

_For the first time that night, Molly looked genuinely offended. "You'll do no such thing! Come back tomorrow, and I'll have samples for you to take to everyone, and you can decide what the menu will be. Perhaps some light hors d'oeuvres as well? Yes, I think so. Leave it all to me. And please tell Hermione I'd like to help her get ready. I promise not to lecture, but a girl deserves to have her mother with her at a time like this."_

_George promised to discuss it with Hermione that night, and give her the answer the next day._

-Present-

"It went very well. Mum and dad will both be in attendance, and are waiting on your decision about Ginny and Ron before they tell them. Mum also agreed to make dessert, and will be bringing samples 'round tomorrow for us to sample." George related to everyone.

"I love your mum's cooking," Sirius spoke up. "I've really missed it. Between us and Kreacher, we still can't make anything as good as her."

Hermione cleared her throat, "We have decided actually. Harry is going to speak with Ron and Ginny tomorrow. We're planning to invite them both, if they can promise to be civil."

Draco made his first indecorous sound since they had move to Grimmauld place, a strangled guffaw. Everyone looked at him before he quickly covered it with a cough.

Kingsley smoothly interrupted. "Shall we discuss the questions you had about the ceremony Hermione?"

**A/N: Hope you enjoyed! I really love Molly Weasley as a character, and while she can over-react, I think she can also put her love for her kids over that. Please, tell me what you thought! Hopefully you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing. Next up: We get to talk more about weddings!**


End file.
